Shadow Wolf
Shadow Wolf Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Incorporeal) Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (17 hp) Initiative: +8 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 17 (+4 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 17, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/— Attack: Incorporeal bite +9 melee touch (1d6 plus fading) Full Attack: Incorporeal bite +9 melee touch (1d6 plus fading) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Fading Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, scent Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +5 Abilities: Str —, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 17 Skills: Balance +6, Hide +11*, Jump +10, Intimidate +10, Listen +8, Spot +8, Survival +8*, Tumble +11 Feats: Improved Initiative, Track (B), Weapon Focus (bite) Environment: Plane of Shadow Organization: Solitary or pack (2-12) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: None Alignment: Always chaotic evil Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large) Level Adjustment: — This large, gray wolf is slightly translucent. Shadow wolves are creatures of pure shadow. According to legend, they were called into being by powerful spellcasters, and have since roamed free and multiplied. While shadow wolves avoid highly illuminated areas when possible, they are not particularly vulnerable to bright light. A shadow wolf is between 2 and 3 feet tall at the shoulder. COMBAT Shadow wolves prefer to sneak up to a victim and bite them, then retreat and wait for their fading to take effect. A shadow wolf's natural weapons are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Fading (Su): Supernatural disease—bite, Fortitude DC 14, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Str. The save DC is Charisma-based. Unlike normal diseases, fading continues until the victim reaches Strength 0 (and dies) or is cured as described below. Fading is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell on a creature afflicted with fading must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character. To eliminate fading, the curse must first be broken with break enchantment or remove curse (requiring a DC 20 caster level check for either spell), after which a caster level check is no longer necessary to cast healing spells on the victim, and the fading can be magically cured as any normal disease. A dimensional anchor, dimensional lock, or similar effect stalls the progression of the disease for as long as the spell remains in effect (and the victim remains within the area of effect, in the case of dimensional lock). As the victim fades from view on the Material Plane, it slowly gains substance on the Plane of Shadow. Once the victim reaches Strength 0 and dies, it has fully materialised on the Plane of Shadow, where the shadow wolf can eat its meal in peace. Skills: *A shadow wolf gains a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of shadowy illumination. In brightly lit areas, it takes a –4 penalty on Hide checks. *It also has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent. Shadow Wolves in Mystara Everything written above is true for Mystaran shadow wolves except for one point. A Mystaran shadow wolf is native to the Plane of Limbo. This has resulted in a very sinister practice. Unscrupulous people on the Plane of Limbo have domesticated shadow wolves and use them to capture victims from the Prime Plane. This is because life energy is the currency of the Plane of Limbo Dragon Magazine #180 and the hunters gather the victim's life force in specially prepared gems to be 'spent' at a later date. Originally appeared in ST1 - Up the Garden Path (1986). Category:Outsiders